The southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu’s People’s Committee has fined Pomina Steel VNĐ4.8 billion (US$210,500) over 17 environmental violations committed by two subsidiaries over the last two years.

The Pomina 3 Steel Billet Refining Plant imported over 24 tonnes of scrap steel with impurity rates above the allowed limit in the last three years. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Hải

Phú Mỹ Industrial Park-based Pomina 2 Steel Joint Stock Company was found to have imported scrap steel with impurity rates exceeding the amount allowed under national environmental technical standards. The company violated 17 times and had to pay fines of VNĐ3.4 billion.

The Pomina 3 Steel Billet refining plant was found to have imported over 24 tonnes of scrap steel with impurity rates above the allowed limit and was fined VNĐ1.4 billion.

In addition to the fines, local authorities have also withdrawn the two Pomina subsidiaries’ environmental protection certifications, which facilitate the import of scrap steel for production. The subsidiaries’ certificates have expired and have yet to be regranted.

Steelmaking is the process for producing steel from iron ore and scrap. In steelmaking, impurities such as nitrogen, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur and excess carbon are removed from the raw iron, and alloying elements such as manganese, nickel, chromium and vanadium are added to produce different grades of steel.